Myers - We Were Heroes The Journal of Scott Pendleton Collins, a World War II Soldier, Normandy, France, 1944

This journal was given to me by my uncle Richard, my mothers brother. He was the only one who gave me a gift at the going-away party my folks had for me. After the party Mom said that she didnt have anything to give me and I told her that I didnt need anything. I wanted to tell her about wanting my picture on the wall, but I didnt. Maybe when all of this is over I will tell her.

On the wall in the living room, over the settee, are two pictures. One of them is of my great-grandfather, Phillip R. Collins, who fought in the Civil War and was wounded at Second Manassas. In the picture he looks strong and proud and has eyes more or less like my fathers, but he looks thinner than Dad. There is a Confederate flag in the lower center of the picture.

The next picture is of Dad, who was in the army during the First World War. He was stationed in Alabama and then went to France, where he served as an ambulance driver.

I would like to have my picture on that wall. It would make me proud to show that I have served my country, just like my dad and great-grandfather did.

Bobby Joe Hunter came to our party and everybody toasted the two of us. Afterward I drove him home and we vowed that we would stick with each other no matter what. Me and Bobby Joe didnt get along too well in school. Hes the kind of guy that always has to be the star of something. He played quarterback on the football team and I mostly sat on the bench. I heard from Jerry Villency that when Bobby Joe couldnt start on the baseball team, he quit. Hes been pretty decent over here, so far, and we havent had any trouble. When we reached England, we went on pass together and we traveled to a place called Stonehenge. It was really cold and rainy there. We were both glad to leave.

Today we had a long lecture about the Nazis and what they have been doing in Europe. After the lecture, which was really kind of boring, we saw a cartoon with Hitler and Tojo, and that was pretty funny. Lt. Rowe said that the Germans were really good soldiers and were going to be tough to defeat. Bobby Joe said that the reason the Germans looked so good was because they hadnt fought Americans. I believe that Bobby Joe is right.

I wrote to Danny and Ellen, telling them what England looks like. A captain brought the letter back to me and said that I couldnt tell them where I was. He gave me the letter and I saw that he had crossed out everything except Dear Danny and Ellen, at the top; the part about us marching under the Admiralty Arch; and Your loving brother, Scott, at the end.

There are so many soldiers here in England it isnt funny. When we go over there, well probably have them outnumbered two to one.

We saw Eisenhower today. He was with two other generals. I was about fifty feet away and he looked like an all right kind of guy. As soon as he left we had to pack up and move again. This time we didnt just go to another camping area. The company commander said this was going to be the final staging site.

Im going to shoot about fifty Germans, Bobby Joe said. But I want to bop one of them right in the nose.

Thats Bobby Joe for you. Sometimes I think he would rather hit somebody than eat. But I also know that he is a serious guy. When I told him about this journal, he went back to his stuff and showed me what his folks had given him. It is a New Testament that his dad carried through the First World War. It has his dads name, Gordon R. Hunter, written in the front.

Im giving it to my son when he goes in the army, Bobby Joe said.

Its spring but the weather is still chilly and damp. Were eating field rations and there arent enough showers to go around. There was a rumor that we were going to go back to the main camp, but the captain says were stuck here until the invasion starts. Everybody is ready. Bill Micu (we call him Mikey) says that the Germans are probably scared stiff. He says theyre just sitting there looking over the water and thinking that theyre not going to get back to der Vaterland, which means the fatherland.

Jerry won $200 in a poker game and a whole mess of foreign money that weve all been given. I asked Sgt. Wilson why we were given the foreign money, and he said it was in case we ran out of bullets and had to buy some from the Germans. Ha ha.

Wojo and Mikey started calling me Smoothie because I dont shave. I dont care.

This morning we loaded up with all our gear and everybody thought this was going to be it. I was mad at Wojo because he said that there is nobody in Roanoke that can play ball with even the second-stringers from Winchester. That has got to be the most stupid thing I have ever heard in my whole life. Anyway, we got on the ship and sat around all day. I cleaned my M1 and wiped some grease from the slide that I thought I had cleaned away before.

Sgt. Wilson was running his mouth as usual. He said that if we bayoneted a German in the chest and couldnt pull out the bayonet, we could get it out by firing a shot and pulling out the bayonet on the recoil. Bobby Joe said that if we could shoot the Kraut why were we fooling around with the bayonet in the first place? That made Sgt. Wilson mad. When they talk about the Germans they use names like Kraut and Jerry. Kraut comes from sauerkraut and I dont know where Jerry comes from.

I dont really mind what Wojo said about Winchester beating Roanoke but he didnt have to make so much of it.

We didnt go again but we went over the side of the ship, down the rope ladders, and into the assault boats for practice. The sea was choppy and Corp. Hubbard, Mr. Big Time from Charlestown, got sick before he got down into the assault boat. They call the boats LCVPs Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel. Dumb name, but thats the army for you. One of the navy guys said it was a Higgins boat.

Corp. Hubbard showed us a company flag that he is going to carry into France and put on the highest hill he can find. That made us all feel good. Were the best in the 116th Regiment and thats a fact! I dont think anybody in their right mind will say that I am wrong.

Got a letter from home. Dolph Camilli hit three home runs over the weekend. Angie Gardiner is looking for a part-time job and asked Dad for a recommendation. Mom said that Angie was talking about me a lot.

The rumor is that the Germans have killed Hitler and the war is almost over. I dont blame them. He sounds like a creep. Sometimes I have a dream about going into a building where there are a lot of Germans and seeing Hitler sitting at this long table. In the dream he goes for his gun but I level the M1 and blow him away.

Mikey was talking about English girls being all hot to trot for American guys. He said he had to fight them off when he was in Picadilly. Thats in London.

They were trying to tear my clothes off, he said. And one of them looked just like Hedy Lamarr.